Sun-soaked dining in London

The best pub gardens with food in London

"Sun's out guns out" my horrid, horrid university friends used to say. And while they threw rugby balls at each other and laughed about penises (to be fair I did that too) I got the barbecue going, or insisted we went somewhere other than Wetherspoon's for a summery dinner – I grew tired of crying children, tramp stamped young mums and wasps trapped in pint glasses. So here are my favourite pub gardens with food, more of the of the craft beer and leafy corners persuasion. They are all just beautiful places to be in the summer.


The Stag (NW3) >>>

My local and a really special place to be on a summer evening. Lots of seating, sun all evening, heaters when it goes cold, and live acoustic music on Sunday afternoon. The food’s great all year around, but in the summer they get a barbecue grill going and produce trashy pulled pork, burgers and such. It also has 50 varieties of beer in the fridge, so settle in for a long one ladz.

The Avalon, south London (SW12)

I only went there once, and it was busy as hell, but the food looked great and the outside was buzzy, beautiful, and large enough to hold a good few parties. The inside is also large enough to host the Proms, so if (when) it starts raining, everyone has somewhere to go. Give it a shot if you happen by some terrible accident to end up south of the river.

<<< Narrow boat (N1)

Much more a restaurant than a pub despite appearances, if you can bag a spot on the balcony you’ll have sun, a canal and a lovely atmosphere. The food is decent gastro-pub stuff with a bit more thought than you might expect. If you just fancy a nice pint (it’s Youngs so pretty good beer), you can get plastic glasses and take it down to the water or further to the lock.

Spaniards Inn (NW3)

Bit of a way from anywhere, but if you’ve got a bike or fancy an adventure across Hampstead Heath on a summer afternoon, this is well worth the trip. Food’s exactly what you’ll be wanting – pies, burgers, butternut squash salads (becoming omnipresent on pub menus) and the like – all changing daily. A lovely outside and as far from London as you can feel in zone 2.

Albion, Islington (N1)

A truly gorgeous old pub in the middle of Islington’s richest area. The food’s good and well priced despite the occasional gastro-pub nonsense (triple-cooked chips) , but it’s the lovely garden that’s going to make you love it. You’ll need to book on a weekend or nice evening though – despite the Albion’s weird location it’s hardly a hidden gem.

Counter café (E3) >>>

On paper it doesn’t work – a floating astroturf coated barge attached to a very decent café with an event better brunch menu. But it feels undiscovered and special, does great breakfasts and overlooks the Olympic Stadium. Bonkers but beautiful. 

Garden Gate (NW3)

Another Hampstead corker. Run by Mitchells & Butler with their inspired it’s-freehold-but-it’s-not vibe, it has great great bar selections, a picky and tasty food menu and a lovely, haphazard outside area, littered with old garden furniture and statues. Perfect for a long afternoon of ale and Scrabble with friends.

The Chequers (RH17)

Not in London, but a brilliant day’s ride for cyclists or a quick train journey for a romantic night away. It’s got great food, great wine, lovely rooms and a relaxing garden outback, overlooking rolling fields all the way back to London’s suburbs. It’s also 20 minutes drive from Brighton, so makes a lovely country stop if you want to make a day trip there.

Chelsea Ram: goat to it

Out of the way, but worth the trip.

Happiness was a warm fire and a bottle of red. This was the starting point of my time at the lovely Chelsea Ram is Fulham. We came in from a dark and stormy May (!) night to find a wooden, warmly lit pub that could be straight out of the home counties.

On a dark and stormy May (!) evening, the Chelsea Ram makes a perfect refuge. Its roaring fire, selection of board games and friendly staff implies they expect you to stay for the long haul. And there's no reason that you shouldn't. It's a long way from the tube, and its country-pub feel makes it so welcoming that you never want to leave. As I dried my gilet (!) by the fire and warmed up with a bottle of Cotes de Rhone, I took in all the lovely touches the Chelsea ram has - board games; the pickled onion Monster Munch in their crisp selection; the papers; a door disguised as a book case (!). It all feels a little forced, but almost all the more charming for trying so hard. And surely all pubs start off clean, tidy, varnished and bright, become dingy, dirty and depraved, and then come back out the other side as shabby chic. Having just been bought off Young's by the original owners, the Chelsea Ram is back at the very start of its journey, but already a little eccentric.

A lot of effort has been put into the food too. It feels like a labour of love, and there are some additions to classic pub dishes that feel less like culinary expertise and more like the guilty pleasures of a rather foolish home cook. Would I ever stew half a kilo of wild mushrooms with garlic, drizzle it with pesto and put on some bread with a poached duck egg? Hell no. Would I enjoy it if it were put in front of me? Hell yes. The same went for the fresh cherry tomatoes in my hotpot, which were unexpected and initially shocking - but you came to love it by the end. I'd never do it at home, but I'd order it again in a restaurant.

There was nothing, nothing at all wrong with the Eton mess though, which after such a wintery meal was a gust of summery air far removed from the storm that raged outside.

It's a little out of the way but, if you find yourself in Fulham and really fancy some excellent pub grub, you'll be delighted with the Chelsea Ram - good food, good wine, good prices, friendly staff and, if it starts raining, Scrabble to pass the time. Who knew happiness was within two miles of Fulham Broadway?

http://www.geronimo-inns.co.uk/thechelsearam/